Mobiles, Media, and the Agency of Indian Youth by Neha Kumar a Dissertation Submitted in Partial Satisfaction of the Requirement
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Mobiles, Media, and the Agency of Indian Youth by Neha Kumar A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Management and Systems in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Tapan S. Parikh, Chair Professor Brian W. Carver Professor Abigail De Kosnik Fall 2013 Mobiles, Media, and the Agency of Indian Youth Copyright 2013 by Neha Kumar 1 Abstract Mobiles, Media, and the Agency of Indian Youth by Neha Kumar Doctor of Philosophy in Information Management and Systems University of California, Berkeley Professor Tapan S. Parikh, Chair Technologies have been and are being designed to address varied human needs. Of these, the need for physical and economic well-being is typically considered to trump the need for culture, leisure, fun, and entertainment. Research initiatives in the field of Information and Communication Technology and Development (ICTD) have been in motion to address agricultural, educational, and health care needs, among others. The need for entertainment is central even in the lives of the ‘have-less’, my dissertation affirms. Affordable new me- dia technologies play a critical role towards the procurement of entertainment content and the resulting production of culture. Individuals quickly learn to navigate their way around technology, also paving the way for development-friendly outcomes. It is this phenomenon that my dissertation analyzes, as it studies individual agency in the intertwining of culture (society) and new media (technology) within the larger discourse of development. I use ethnographic methods to investigate the leisure-driven appropriation of the mobile phone by youth from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds in rural, small-town, and urban India. I first analyze the influx of new media and its resulting impact on folk music practices in rural Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Shifting focus to the motivations that drive youth towards mobile consumption of folk and popular media, I examine the unique material affordances of new media technologies and their influence on emerging practices. I use the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) lens to draw particular attention to the notion of agency, both human and material, as I investigate the pirate media actor-network responsible for the widespread dissemination of digital media and technical skills. I then focus on the agency of urban Indian youth that leads them to build further on these skills as they negotiate various linguistic, social, and technological hurdles for engagement with social media towards a new, improved identity for themselves. i To the Kabir in each one of us. ii Contents Contents ii 1 Introduction 1 1.1Culture...................................... 2 1.2Technology.................................... 4 1.3Agency....................................... 5 1.4Development................................... 7 1.5Motivations.................................... 8 1.6Ethnography................................... 11 1.7Outline....................................... 16 2 Folk Music Goes Digital 18 2.1RelatedWork................................... 20 2.2Methodology................................... 21 2.3MotivationsandBenefits............................. 25 2.4UseofNewMedia................................. 29 2.5Piracy....................................... 32 2.6Discussion..................................... 34 2.7Conclusion..................................... 36 3 Mobiles, Music, and Materiality 37 3.1Introduction.................................... 37 3.2RelatedWork................................... 38 3.3Methodology................................... 39 3.4Findings...................................... 40 3.5TheDownloadMarket.............................. 49 3.6Discussion..................................... 53 3.7Conclusion..................................... 54 4 The Mobile Media Actor-Network 55 4.1Introduction.................................... 55 4.2RelatedWork................................... 57 iii 4.3Methodology................................... 58 4.4ANT........................................ 59 4.5Findings...................................... 60 4.6Discussion..................................... 70 4.7Conclusion..................................... 72 5 Social Media and Self-Empowerment 73 5.1Introduction.................................... 73 5.2RelatedWork................................... 75 5.3 Aspirations, Avenues, and Agency . 76 5.4Methodology................................... 77 5.5Findings...................................... 78 5.6Discussion..................................... 84 5.7Conclusion..................................... 85 6 Conclusion 87 6.1Culture...................................... 87 6.2Technology.................................... 89 6.3Agency....................................... 91 6.4Development................................... 93 6.5DirectionsforFutureResearch.......................... 94 6.6Contributions................................... 95 Bibliography 97 iv Acknowledgments This dissertation is the product of a dream that was nurtured with faith, love, and perse- verance. As a naïve young Berkeley undergraduate, I believed that a Ph.D. at Berkeley was the best thing that could happen to me. Not so young and naïve anymore, my thoughts are about the same. This university has been an honor, a privilege, a blessing to attend. The years spent within these hallowed walls have bestowed upon me the learning that is one of my life’s greatest gifts. Go Bears! The one person without whom this Ph.D. really would not have been is Tapan Parikh. It is rare to be blessed with an advisor one can admire not only for his incredible intellect and the uncommonest common sense, but also for his genuine passion for changing the world. He has been the perfect Ph.D. advisor - supportive, kind, and just chill. I am ever in awe that he can nap, text, email, but still be fully present to what goes on in the classroom and offer a unique and insightful perspective at just the right moment. Kabir’s words for his guru come to mind: Sunt¯ahai guru gy¯ani, which translates to The guru, the wise one, listens. My luck with professors goes further. My meetings with Gail have been few, but each one has been memorable and impactful, not least for her infectious enthusiasm. Her belief in my project came at a crucial time, for which I will always be grateful. Likewise, Brian’s unfailing support has played a critical role, coming through for me at key don’t-wanna-go- there moments. I have always felt encouraged and supported by both. Ingrid, who trained my engineer mind to conduct qualitative research, gave me valuable feedback on my work early on,and saw me through my qualifying exams. I am thankful, also, to other faculty at the I School who have offered guidance and feedback over the years, most notably Anno, Coye, Jenna, and John. My professors at Stanford - Roy, Shelley, and Balaji - have been a strong and inspiring influence in this journey as well. It was in the field in India where my Ph.D. really took place. The relationships I was fortunate to forge there determined the course of my research. Thanks to Tapan, I met Shabnam. And thanks to Shabnam, the Ph.D. unraveled. Thank you Shabnam, for intro- ducing me to Prahaladji and his loving family, the many other wonderful Kabir singers, and the vast expanse of the Kabir Project. Most of all, thank you for the music. In ways big and small, my life has been changed by the times spent with Gopal, Ravi, Linda, Arvind, Smriti, Vishakha, Vipul, Tisha, Deepa, Sudebi, Tahireh, Shilpi, Palash, and Deepti. A special thank you to Gopal’s mother who fed me and cared for me, leaving me with fond remembrances of Bikaner. Thank you, Aaditeshwar and Zahir, for introducing me to Gurgaon ki Awaaz and Radio Bundelkhand, and helping me learn about community radio. And thank you, Aditi, for your wonderful company on our memorable Kabir Yatra together. To the hundred and more interviewees who opened their doors and hearts to me so that this dissertation could unfold, I will remain forever in debt. v Google took remarkable care of me through my Ph.D. I feel privileged to have received the Anita Borg Scholarship, and even more so for the benefits that come with being a Google spouse. My Facebook internship gave me the opportunity and resources (all that data!) to strengthen my expertise in the area of my dissertation, many thanks to Robert. My in- ternship at Microsoft Research (India) deserves special mention. The quality of research at MSRI and the combination of passion and intellect that drives this research is unmatched. Nimmi, Ed, Bill, and Indrani were an excellent team to work with, and I am grateful to Jonathan for offering valuable insights each time he conferenced in from Cape Town. Anne, Aditya, Andrew, and Mike added the essential dose of laughter, friendship, and guile to my evenings and weekends. I cannot thank Nimmi enough for being a positive, supportive, and encouraging mentor. The lessons I gleaned from her leave their mark all over this dissertation. The I School has felt like home from the very beginning. I feel privileged to have had the esteemed company and guidance of the Ph.D.s who graduated before me - Janaki, Dan, Megan, Melissa, Josh, Christo, Judd, Andrew, Daniela, Liz, and Elisa. I am also thankful for the many entertaining and stimulating conversations - about research and about life - I have shared with Meena, Rajesh, Sarah, and Ishita. Tanushree